


Winterschlaf

by bravinto



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, Sleep, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-30
Updated: 2013-09-30
Packaged: 2017-12-28 01:25:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/985998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bravinto/pseuds/bravinto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A tough cold spell in Berlin</p>
            </blockquote>





	Winterschlaf

**Author's Note:**

> This happened because I was on a hectic trip and I had not enough sleep, I was ill, and felt cold all the time, wishing nothing else but sleep and cuddles.  
> It's unbetaed, because I feel bad badgering my friend with these all the time. All mistakes are mine!
> 
> PS I feel that the titles in German that I give to my fics might scare away some readers, but I can't help it! This pairing is compelling! XD

In addition to being perennially warm, Newton often listed ‘giving awesome hugs’ alongside his multiple talents. It was both pleasant and fortunate; for here, between Newt and the radiator, beneath two blankets Hermann could finally feel less frozen and stiff.

“Do you think this anomaly is a long-term effect the Kaiju intrusion had on the ecosystem?” he asked, tightening his arms around Newton.

For as long as he could remember, Hermann had never witnessed such a cold February in Eastern Germany. -40C, and the fur of his parka was silver with his rimed breath. The sun shone through the frosty mist, and it seemed like the very air was freezing together into the wall of solid cold. Existing outside was almost impossible; but even home, with windows sealed and all the heaters on full blast, he still couldn’t get warmer. The thin walls of Berlin houses were not built to endure such weather.

“Hm. Dunno. Could be?..” Newton mumbled somewhere near Hermann’s collarbone.

“Perhaps we should research this issue”.

Newton had been rather quiet, idle and subdued lately, on the down side of his scale. He’d always said it was their hive-mind connection, but Hermann refused to believe in telepathy and merely thought that he had learned to read his… well, his Newt over the years, and he could tell that this time around depression was not too bad, the worst of it already behind. Maybe because due to the extreme cold the University was closed, so Newton could stay home without feeling guilty about it. Or maybe because Hermann could keep his company for the same reason; his presence always soothing and helping to even Newton out. Not that Hermann was able to go anywhere anyway: the cold was paralyzing, his limbs grew numb and weak, his back was sore from all this shivering his body was doing; and walking as far as the bathroom was a challenge. The only place Hermann could think of being right now was in bed with Newton. It appeared, they found a way to be very helpful to each other without having to do anything, so they stayed in the comfort of the bed for the whole day, to mutual benefit.

Mutual benefit, as always. They rarely worked together these days. Each had a separate laboratory, as well as a group of young starry-eyed scientists to teach. There was no apocalypse to cancel now, and Hermann and Newton belonged to different departments of science, after all. And, to be quite honest, it was good to have some time apart from each other, every once in a while. Sometimes, however, when they decided to put their minds together for the sake of a groundbreaking research and a new paper with two names on the cover, they would bring back old routines. The lab filled with ideas and sparkles; tension was rising so dangerously high that some of the spectators, inevitably drawn to watch this science live show, actually tried to see it register on various devices, some of which were designed specifically for measuring ‘Newtmann Units’ (“seriously, man, you gotta give more credit to our fanclub! They are incredible!”). Such days usually ended with discoveries and mind-blazing, body-exhausting sex. There were also days not unlike today, when they would take their respective medication and just hold each other; and it was alright, too.

“It’s like we’re hibernating”, Newton commented.

Hermann thought of his students. He doubted they spent their impromptu break hibernating, as well. Most probably they were out, having fun in the infernal cold. What was it that young people did in their leisure time in the present?.. Another day Newton would laugh at him for ‘being old’; but Hermann never took any offence. He enjoyed feeling old, anyway.

He woke up later, predictably, because of the chill: Newt was not there. Hermann heard water running in the bathroom; a minute later Newton emerged, wearing only a pair of boxers, an old superhero T-shirt and his tattoos. Just looking at him made Hermann shiver under the blankets.

“Sorry I woke you up”, Newton said, going back hastily, “sorry, you must be cold, sorry…”

“It’s alright”, Hermann answered. “Newton, darling, since you are up, would you mind terribly if I asked you to bring some tea and food?”

“Sure”.

“Just wear something, for the love of god”.

Newton slipped on a fluffy bathrobe and wandered off to the kitchen.

“Don’t ask me to cook!” he shouted from there, and added, less loudly: “I’ll just screw it up like everything else…”

“A microwaved sandwich will do”, Hermann called.

They had a stock of fast food for this exact occasion, when neither of them cared enough to cook a decent meal. Hermann imagined the time when they both get better; they might go out somewhere, have a dinner in a luxurious restraint; or maybe Hermann would just cook something healthy and delicious for Newt and rub his stomach as he eats, and then kiss him senseless while he still tastes of delicacies and fine wine. Oh well. All that will have to wait for the merrier times. Hermann thought that it would be better if they could hibernate for real, sleep through the worst of the winter downs, through the freezing cold and blizzard and darkness and wake up to the warm sun and heady fragrance of April. Just a little longer, he reminded himself.

When Newton returned with a tray and dove into the bed again, Hermann poured the strong black tea into two cups. He tasted Earl Grey, cloves, and a spoonful of rum; it was burning his throat pleasantly.

“Invigorating indeed. A sandwich?” he offered.

“Nah”, Newt muttered. “Not hungry”.

“Not ever the crust?”

“No. I’m fat as it is…”

Normally Hermann would point out that Newton’s sentence was merely a not entirely correct observation, rather than a statement of aesthetic judgement; this would be followed by a lengthy discussion of the concept of beauty, its value and standards throughout the history; for now he only said:

“Did you mean beautiful and just perfectly soft and warm so that poor doctor Gottlieb does not freeze to death?”

“Alright, if you put it like this”, Newton laughed and ate the sandwich.

After the tea break, they curled into each other once more. The sun fell behind the toothy skyline; the purple twilight enveloped the bedroom, softening the edges. If Hermann didn’t know better, he could believe it was spring outside. The winter was wearing thin; this frost was bound to ease its grip on the land soon. Hermann kissed Newt of the temple.

“Der Frühling kommt”, he whispered quietly. “Der Februar ist zu ende. Der Frühling kommt bald, Newt. We can make it”.

“If you say so”, Newton sighed, snuggling closer.

**Author's Note:**

> Hermann says: "The spring comes. February is ending. The spring comes soon, Newt".


End file.
